1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to music reproducing apparatuses and, more specifically, to a music reproducing apparatus that presents search results using musical piece parameters to a user.
2. Description of the Background Art
As one example of a conventional technology (hereinafter, a first conventional technology), a style of listening to a musical piece through a music reproducing apparatus, such as a CD player, generally incorporated in a car audio system is described below with reference to FIG. 6.
In FIG. 6, the music reproducing apparatus includes a music source storage unit 91, a music source playback unit 92, a playback piece control unit 93, and a playback piece indicating unit 94. The music source storage unit 91 is implemented by an audio CD, for example, storing data of musical pieces (music source). The music source playback unit 92 plays the musical pieces stored in the music source storage unit 91. The playback piece control unit 93 controls playback of the music source playback unit 92. The playback piece indicating unit 94 includes an input unit, such as buttons, to indicate a playback piece to the playback piece control unit 93 in accordance with an input operation by a user.
To listen to a music source stored in the music source storage unit 91, the user generally listens to the musical pieces in predetermined order. That is, when the musical pieces stored in the music source storage unit 91 are played, the music source playback unit 92 normally plays the musical pieces in recording order, such as in recording order of an audio CD. Alternatively, the musical pieces are played in the order designated in advance by the user.
If the user does not like the musical piece currently being played, the user can skip the musical piece or designate another musical piece desired, thereby allowing playback of musical pieces suited to his or her preferences. That is, upon reception of an instruction input from the user of skipping the musical piece currently being played, the playback piece indicating unit 94 instructs the playback piece control unit 93 to stop the musical piece and then play the next musical piece. Alternatively, upon reception of an instruction input from the user of a musical piece number, the playback piece indicating unit 94 instructs the playback piece control unit 93 to stop the musical piece currently being played and then play the musical piece of the musical piece number. As such, when the user does not like the musical piece currently being played, the user has to perform the above-described operation to select a musical piece suited to his or her preferences.
In another example of the conventional technology (hereinafter, a second conventional technology), the following music reproducing apparatus has been devised. That is, in the music reproducing apparatus of the second conventional technology, the user can set in advance his or her musical preferences. For example, only the musical pieces set as being suited to his or her preferences are played. According to the music reproducing apparatus of the second conventional technology, only the musical pieces set in advance as being suited to user's preferences can be automatically played.
In recent years, information processing devices having incorporated therein a large-capacity storage unit have been widely available. Also, the music data compression technology has been advanced. Therefore, music reproducing apparatuses capable of storing a large number of musical pieces are available these days.
However, if a music reproducing apparatus storing a large number of musical pieces uses the scheme of the first conventional technology, selecting desired musical pieces from those stored is extremely burdensome to users. This is because determining the listening order of a large number of musical pieces requires users to take much time and trouble. Even if the musical pieces are to be played in the recording order, the number of musical pieces is so large that setting skips or designating piece numbers requires users to take much time and trouble.
The music reproducing apparatus according to the second conventional technology allows only the desired musical pieces to be automatically played. Yet still, if the music reproducing apparatus according to the second conventional technology stores data of a large number of musical pieces, the burden on the user cannot be reduced. This is because the user has to set in advance desired musical pieces by himself or herself. That is, it is required to set in advance user's preference to all musical pieces to be played, thereby putting a large burden on the user. Moreover, user's preferences of musical pieces, that is, which music to be played, may vary depending on situations and circumstances. In the music reproducing apparatus of the second conventional technology, however, the user has to perform resetting every time the user's preferences of musical pieces are changed, thereby putting a large burden on the user.